Am I getting it really wrong?!

[HayleyGg8821]

Hi everyone! This is my first ever post, so I hope I’m doing it right! 😂 I’m also hoping you can help and advise in the best way, as I’m worrying, and it’s probably something I don’t need to be worrying about!

My 5mo daughter has been breastfed until very recently, and I have made the transition to formula milk.

when my daughter was breastfeeding, this was obviously on demand, and she would feed every couple of hours. Now my daughter is using a bottle, she will drink (approx) 4oz when she wakes, and then another 4oz before she goes back to sleep.

In total, she is still having her 30oz of milk in a day, and her weight is increasing steadily. She also sleeps through the night following her last feed. My concern is that I’ve been told that by giving her the second 4oz feed, as she goes down for a nap, is not teaching her to sleep independently, and the milk before sleep has become a crutch or a prop.

I physically cannot get 8oz of milk into my baby in one go when she wakes, and she needs the 2 hour gap between feeds.

Please give me some advice?! Am I setting her up to fail when it comes to settling herself for sleep, or am I worrying about it all too much! Help!! 🤯

Honestly if she’s sleeping through I wouldn’t change a thing! You’re not doing anything wrong x

There are babies who are always fed or rocked or cuddled to sleep and it doesn't negatively affect their sleep in anyway. Then there are babies which it does.

Look at your baby and yourself- is your current routine working for both of you? If yes, why change it? Only change something if it stops working for either you or your baby.

I loved cuddling my baby to sleep. But it didn't work for him, he found it really hard to settle in the night. As soon as we stopped that he slept through. But he has friends that are still held to sleep and they sleep through fine as well.

All babies are different. If it works, it works!

My lo has always liked half a feed then another feed little while later. Even at 14months old. She has 650pm to 7pm milk about 4oz. Then 730pm another 3 to 4oz. We have tried giving all to her at 730pm. Then she won't settle as she hasn't had enough milk.

Tbh if its working leave it how it is. You may want to think at some point making sure lo is awake when put down with a full belly rather then falling to sleep on bottle. People start feeding downstairs, then the walk upstairs disturbs them slightly, as pp said it can effect some babies feeding to sleep some not. See how it goes. Don't rock the boat unless you need too.

It depends. Is she falling asleep while drinking the milk? Or does she drink it and then go into her cot awake?

Anyway it is not a problem to give the milk before sleep, just make sure there is a gap between milk and sleep, and she goes into her cot awake. So you could give the milk downstairs, then change her nappy or read a story or play with a toy for 5 minutes etc and then put her to bed. As time goes on you could gradually increase the amount given at the waking feed and decrease the amount given before sleep,over a couple of weeks or more if necessary.

If she's sleeping through the night you are doing great!